[syntheticzero]

I got these JVC HA-S400's based on the reviews here and elsewhere. I have a fair amount of experience with audiophile equipment at the low-middle end when it comes to speakers and amps, but I'm new to audiophile-grade headphones (I had some fairly high-end Sennheiser headphones years ago, but I never had very good equipment to drive them so I never really heard them at their full capacity. They fell apart a while ago --- the headband broke, finally). 
 
 
Recently I upgraded my home DAC and the sound is astounding (Micromega MyDAC, I highly recommend) with my NAD amp and Polk LSi9 speakers, so I decided to see if I could reproduce this experience portably, but cheaply (because I had just spent money on my new DAC and associated cables/etc.) I got a Hifiman Express HM-101, which really does a remarkable job for a mere $39, as heard through various speaker systems. But I have to say I'm somewhat disappointed with these JVC HA-S400's. The sound is muddy (especially in the mid-bass), there's a lack of detail, and the highs just don't "pop". There's a boomy quality to the sound --- closed in. It lacks spaciousness.
 
I compared with my friend's Aiaiai Capital headphones (around $100), and the difference was stark ---much wider soundstage, more open sound, far more detailed, less muddy mid-bass, and clear upper register. Just notably superior in every respect, except for comfort (which is why I wouldn't buy these Capital headphones for myself).
 
The HA-S400's definitely improved with some burn-in --- but not up to the standard of a higher grade set like the Capital.
 
The sound is quite a lot better than "most" headphones I've tried, especially at the price point, but they're not audiophile quality by any means. I'm going to give the Monoprice 8323's a try, since they have the stamp of approval from a number of audiophile reviewers.

 

[sfwalcer]

  I got these JVC HA-S400's based on the reviews here and elsewhere. I have a fair amount of experience with audiophile equipment at the low-middle end when it comes to speakers and amps, but I'm new to audiophile-grade headphones (I had some fairly high-end Sennheiser headphones years ago, but I never had very good equipment to drive them so I never really heard them at their full capacity. They fell apart a while ago --- the headband broke, finally). 
 
 
Recently I upgraded my home DAC and the sound is astounding (Micromega MyDAC, I highly recommend) with my NAD amp and Polk LSi9 speakers, so I decided to see if I could reproduce this experience portably, but cheaply (because I had just spent money on my new DAC and associated cables/etc.) I got a Hifiman Express HM-101, which really does a remarkable job for a mere $39, as heard through various speaker systems. But I have to say I'm somewhat disappointed with these JVC HA-S400's. The sound is muddy (especially in the mid-bass), there's a lack of detail, and the highs just don't "pop". There's a boomy quality to the sound --- closed in. It lacks spaciousness.
 
I compared with my friend's Aiaiai Capital headphones (around $100), and the difference was stark ---much wider soundstage, more open sound, far more detailed, less muddy mid-bass, and clear upper register. Just notably superior in every respect, except for comfort (which is why I wouldn't buy these Capital headphones for myself).
 
The HA-S400's definitely improved with some burn-in --- but not up to the standard of a higher grade set like the Capital.
 
The sound is quite a lot better than "most" headphones I've tried, especially at the price point, but they're not audiophile quality by any means. I'm going to give the Monoprice 8323's a try, since they have the stamp of approval from a number of audiophile reviewers.

^ The BEST under $200 set of cans i have heard so far are the Martin Logan 90s bar none that are currently on sale for $70 shipped from both amazon and newegg.
 
Those Monoprice cans are decent at best, the bigger brother of these JVC 400s, the JVC S500s stomps ALL over those Mono cans. Try those Logans and thank me later.
 
Worth every penny of their original $300 retail price, so for $70 RUN!!!

 

[ebrian]

LOL SF.. I unsubscribed from that thread to avoid reading more hype!

 

[Grayson73]

  I got these JVC HA-S400's based on the reviews here and elsewhere. I have a fair amount of experience with audiophile equipment at the low-middle end when it comes to speakers and amps, but I'm new to audiophile-grade headphones (I had some fairly high-end Sennheiser headphones years ago, but I never had very good equipment to drive them so I never really heard them at their full capacity. They fell apart a while ago --- the headband broke, finally). 
 
 
Recently I upgraded my home DAC and the sound is astounding (Micromega MyDAC, I highly recommend) with my NAD amp and Polk LSi9 speakers, so I decided to see if I could reproduce this experience portably, but cheaply (because I had just spent money on my new DAC and associated cables/etc.) I got a Hifiman Express HM-101, which really does a remarkable job for a mere $39, as heard through various speaker systems. But I have to say I'm somewhat disappointed with these JVC HA-S400's. The sound is muddy (especially in the mid-bass), there's a lack of detail, and the highs just don't "pop". There's a boomy quality to the sound --- closed in. It lacks spaciousness.
 
I compared with my friend's Aiaiai Capital headphones (around $100), and the difference was stark ---much wider soundstage, more open sound, far more detailed, less muddy mid-bass, and clear upper register. Just notably superior in every respect, except for comfort (which is why I wouldn't buy these Capital headphones for myself).
 
The HA-S400's definitely improved with some burn-in --- but not up to the standard of a higher grade set like the Capital.
 
The sound is quite a lot better than "most" headphones I've tried, especially at the price point, but they're not audiophile quality by any means. I'm going to give the Monoprice 8323's a try, since they have the stamp of approval from a number of audiophile reviewers.

I would not buy the 8323.  They are only good for the price; not good overall.  S500 are much better, so I would think S400 are better than 8323.

 

[Tom22]

  I would not buy the 8323.  They are only good for the price; not good overall.  S500 are much better, so I would think S400 are better than 8323.

i'm agree to an extent, the 8323 is good for the price but the thing the features that come with the 8323 is pretty crazy for the price.
 
swivelling earcups so you can do the one ear listening
 
and the swivelling earcups can help easily fit basically everyones ears
 
its made of all plastic, decently rugged so you can throw it around 
 
detachable cables as well
 
good isolation which seems to be something the s500 an the s400 lacks for being on ears
 
being over ear its actually decently comfortable, the earcups fit me fine but i heard some complaints about the 8323 was that the earcups are bit small
 
the earpad quality is not great, not breathable but they don't cause any other irritation other than sweating.
 
the headband padding is absolutely atricious, the other day i removed that and use the padding i bought separately and it was much better and theres no hotspots on my head now.
 
sound quality is something else
 
but mines did break after about a year of use (just using it at home but been thrown around and solely my home headphone)
 
and they fold up and flat (not that small cause their big headphones afterall) and they look ridiculous on the head because of the way it sticks out. especially the headband part.
 
 
but its one headphone i could easily recommend to basically anyone because its cheap and has a lot of options to play with in terms of where it can be used and how it can be used.

 

[sfwalcer]

  LOL SF.. I unsubscribed from that thread to avoid reading more hype!

^ Then you're missing out on all the hype fun. : P
 
Seriously though, the Logans are in a COMPLETELY different league. They bests the ATH ES700s EZ and ya'll know how much i love those, cuz even picked them over the ATH WS99s AND the Philips Fidelio X1s.
 
They SCALE like nothing i have heard and the realism on them is surreal. O.O
 
No hype just fact. Don't say i didn't gave ya'll a heads up.
 
If you want to juice up your collection to reference levels for peanuts these Logans are it. Makes these JVC, Mono cans sound like childs play and i have owned all of them.

 

[ebrian]

 
^ Then you're missing out on all the hype fun. : P
 
Seriously though, the Logans are in a COMPLETELY different league. They bests the ATH ES700s EZ and ya'll know how much i love those, cuz even picked them over the ATH WS99s AND the Philips Fidelio X1s.
 
They SCALE like nothing i have heard and the realism on them is surreal. O.O
 
No hype just fact. Don't say i didn't gave ya'll a heads up.
 
If you want to juice up your collection to reference levels for peanuts these Logans are it. Makes these JVC, Mono cans sound like childs play and i have owned all of them.

Ahhh.. don't pull me back in!  My budget is $40 or less, so these would have to be my LAST purchase.  I always thought that one day I would splurge for a Fidelio X1 as my final purchase before I deleted my head-fi account (because let's be honest, as long as I'm a head-fier I'll never have a 'last' purchase).
 
Don't get me wrong but if I do go over budget (these would cost closer to $100 for me because of added cost (and annoyance) of shipping them to Canada) then they need to be exactly what I want.  From what I've heard the Mikros 90 are a neutral signature which I have little interest in.  That and them being on-ear and needing precise accurate placement also made them less than desirable for me.  I prefer a warm, bass-emphasized sound with stellar soundstage.  X1's have been identified to me as being great for gaming.  Can the Logans do that for me? 
 
I should also add that scaling means nothing to me as I don't plan to get one (amp).

 

[sfwalcer]

 
Ahhh.. don't pull me back in!  My budget is $40 or less, so these would have to be my LAST purchase.  I always thought that one day I would splurge for a Fidelio X1 as my final purchase before I deleted my head-fi account (because let's be honest, as long as I'm a head-fier I'll never have a 'last' purchase).
 
Don't get me wrong but if I do go over budget (these would cost closer to $100 for me because of added cost (and annoyance) of shipping them to Canada) then they need to be exactly what I want.  From what I've heard the Mikros 90 are a neutral signature which I have little interest in.  That and them being on-ear and needing precise accurate placement also made them less than desirable for me.  I prefer a warm, bass-emphasized sound with stellar soundstage.  X1's have been identified to me as being great for gaming.  Can the Logans do that for me? 

^ Welp if you like lots of warmth, with lots of bass emphasis these Logans are not it. BUT with the recent simple mod of opening their bass port, it seems to get them to basshead levels. Haven't tried it myself but those crazy moddster knows what they are doing so i have faith in that they can finalize the mod which will make these Logans sound like true set of full size audiophile basshead cans with ease. If you followed the JVC S500 thread before and their great modding potential, these Logans has even mor unlimited modding potential.

 
 
Don't game but for me the soundstage of the X1s was good but not as grand as i would have liked, cuz i like the staging and overall sound of the ATH AD900X much better. If you are not that picky about your mids, bass depth/ texture or the grandness of the staging the X1s sounds like they would be perfect for you tbh, but do take into account that their mids are a tiny bit recessed, and bass quality is not the best due to it being semi-open though you do get a lot in quantity.
 
Anywho since you live in Canada Canned Land newegg.ca recently dropped their prices on these Logans, so if you are willing to wait it out a bit they might even drop further so..... you gotta do whatcha' gotta do.

 

[ebrian]

@sfwalcer thanks for your thoughts and mini-review on both mikros/x1
 
I didn't know Mikros were on newegg.ca, doubtful they would drop into my price range but wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on them. 

 

[sfwalcer]

  @sfwalcer thanks for your thoughts and mini-review on both mikros/x1
 
I didn't know Mikros were on newegg.ca, doubtful they would drop into my price range but wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on them. 

^ Yeah no problemo meng, here is my mini write-up on all the recent cans i have owned posted on my W/Rap Sucks Thread. The Logans is the most special outta' the lot hands down.... have sold all my other cans already with zero regrets and even had a chance to get the X1s when the $150 deal 1st went live on amazon but could not make myself buy them again despite that great price.
 
Happy reading.  : P
 

 Quote:  

  OK, the diff between the S500 v. S400 v. ES700 v. WS99s to me.
 
JVC S500: They have a linear sound that is tilted toward a V type of sound but to me they are pretty balanced. None of the sonic spectrum sounds recessed but they no doubt have more emphasis on the lows and the highs rather than the mids. The bass is relatively fast, tight and goes pretty deep with a medium-large soundstage. A great set of cans that does most genres justice esp. most contemporary types of music like pop, EDM, and rap/ hip-hop, etc. A stupid good bargain for the price with this type of performance.
 
JVC S400: These are mid-centric cans no doubt about it. Their lows and highs are adequate but is nothing to write home about. Others have reported with lots of burn-in the highs will really open up, but for me they are still lacking the extension i get from the S500s. The star of the show on these is their lovely mids, which almost make the S500s feel almost a bit lacking.  Due to the mid focused nature of the S400s, they are an easier/ relaxing listen and many have described as more "musical" when compared to the S500s. Overall i would say the S500s is the more "balanced" headphone out of the two.
 
ATH ES700: Like the JVC S400s these are mid-centric monsters. The mids on these are at least one tier above that of the S400s. Despite the mid-centric nature of these ES700s, the lows and highs are much more forward than the S400s. I would even say they are almost like a mix of the best qualities of the S500 and S400s all fused into one but with even more refinement added on top. With the stock pads the bass quantity is slightly less than the S500s, but quality is better, yet with the WS55 pads the bass quantity is on par if not more than the S500s.  Therefore the ES700s is easy on the ears sonically and is relaxing to listen to, yet is also extremely engaging due to their refined bass and treble quantity and quality. The soundstage is also much bigger and more spacious on the ES700s compared to the JVCs.
 
ATH WS99: These are bass kings amongst all the others. Similar to the S500s i find these WS99 relatively "balanced" despite their overt emphasis on the low end. Nothing in the sonic spectrum feels lacking, the mids are forward and the highs are well extended along with their solid deep bass. The bass on these are so deep, tight, punchy, and relatively fast that it can be cup rattling without bleeding into the rest of the other frequencies. I also find the sound on these pretty linear, meaning that their presentation is more, for the lack of a better word "simple" and less intricate than the ES700s. Maybe it is due to the WS99s emphasis on the low end, the mids are slightly compromised when compared to the ES700s, though it's pretty close overall. The mids on the ES700s just wraps you up with its warmth and just sounds so magical. LoL The WS99s has a more aggressive bassy sound that is perfect for mainstream contemporary music just like the S500s, but will do other genres justice no doubt. I would say these are a complete and total upgrade to the S500s, esp. for those that love their bass. These are audiophile basshead cans 100% and is what i like to call Totalphile gears that does it ALL without having to compromise anything. 

 
^ Welp the Philips Fidelio X1s are not "better" than the ES700 or the WS99 per se because there are things that the ATH ES700/ WS99 do better then them. The MOST obvious is the slightly recessed mids of the X1s when compared to the WS99 and ESPECIALLY the CRAZY lush and forward mids of the ES700s. You literally don't hear some micro details on the X1s as the result of their mids rendition while both ES700s an WS99s you seem to get everything without compromising on anything. So why do i rank the X1's over the ES700/WS99, welp in the overall scheme of things the X1's are a more refined sounding can due to it MUCH bigger soundstage, great extension in the treble region and BIG bass end for an semi-open set of cans that's for sure. The bass end of the X1s could have been more lush and impactful as well cuz it sounded slightly boxy to me cuz i hate boxy bass with a passion.  If these X1s had the mids of the ES700s or even the WS99 in forwardness/ lushness and the bass quality of the WS99s i would have not sold them. BUT i can't live with a can knowing that i am missing out on some details in my music that i am clearly hearing from my other sets. The X1s were my most expensive set of cans to date so..... if there is something missing that i am hearing they ain't worth keeping esp. for their higher price. 
 
So for me the most versatile can is the WS99s cuz they sound great with almost everything, esp hip hop/ rap,  the most "intricate" would have to be ES700s due to their amazing lushness in the mids, and the most "refined" would have to be the X1 cuz of their grander presentation due to it's openness, but yet still be able to deliver a bass end like a closed set of cans. So for me the most versatile can is the WS99s cuz they sound great with almost everything, esp hip hop/ rap,  the most "intricate" would have to be ES700s due to their amazing lushness in the mids

 

[charmerci]

  I got these JVC HA-S400's based on the reviews here and elsewhere. I have a fair amount of experience with audiophile equipment at the low-middle end when it comes to speakers and amps, but I'm new to audiophile-grade headphones (I had some fairly high-end Sennheiser headphones years ago, but I never had very good equipment to drive them so I never really heard them at their full capacity. They fell apart a while ago --- the headband broke, finally). 
 
 
Recently I upgraded my home DAC and the sound is astounding (Micromega MyDAC, I highly recommend) with my NAD amp and Polk LSi9 speakers, so I decided to see if I could reproduce this experience portably, but cheaply (because I had just spent money on my new DAC and associated cables/etc.) I got a Hifiman Express HM-101, which really does a remarkable job for a mere $39, as heard through various speaker systems. But I have to say I'm somewhat disappointed with these JVC HA-S400's. The sound is muddy (especially in the mid-bass), there's a lack of detail, and the highs just don't "pop". There's a boomy quality to the sound --- closed in. It lacks spaciousness.
 
I compared with my friend's Aiaiai Capital headphones (around $100), and the difference was stark ---much wider soundstage, more open sound, far more detailed, less muddy mid-bass, and clear upper register. Just notably superior in every respect, except for comfort (which is why I wouldn't buy these Capital headphones for myself).
 
The HA-S400's definitely improved with some burn-in --- but not up to the standard of a higher grade set like the Capital.
 
The sound is quite a lot better than "most" headphones I've tried, especially at the price point, but they're not audiophile quality by any means. I'm going to give the Monoprice 8323's a try, since they have the stamp of approval from a number of audiophile reviewers.
 

 
I really didn't like these at all until I did mods on them. If you're not going to return them, I suggest that you do so. My mods are on p.58 on this thread and there's continuing discussion of it and its variations from there.

 

[TheHeadPhoneGuy]

I honestly did not like the s400s(I guess I've been spoiled on the s500s) to me the s400s sounded way to warm and not enough crispness. They sounded like the way you feel in a steam room if that makes any sense! I would not recommended these but I would heavily recommend the s500s, best, fun cans for under $500 IMO!

 

[gilbertasm]

Maybe someone who has s400 heared  JVC S600 or Creative Aurvana Live and can give some insights?

 

[syntheticzero]

I went ahead and got the Monoprice 8323, just for the heck of it --- I mean, for $24 they're practically free, anyway, just like these JVC S400's. As others have noted above, they're not audiophile grade, and in many ways the S400 is superior in the mid-range... but I'd say the 8323 has a more enjoyable, "open" sound, it just has a more spacious sound, so the overall listening experience for me has more of a "wow" factor than the S400's. Most notably, the S400's have a somewhat harsh sound when pushed with tracks that have strong highs, or strong female vocal tracks, but the 8323's don't have that quality --- the sound stays smooth even at louder volumes. There's no question that the 8323's don't have the detail or wide soundstage of better headphones. However, they are, for me, more enjoyable than the S400's, less of a closed-in "boomy" sound, and pretty much what I was hoping for when I first got inexpensive headphones for a low budget audiophile experience with my ultra-cheap Hifiman portable DAC.
 
I tried the mods to the S400's noted earlier but perhaps I didn't do them correctly --- it doesn't seem to improve the sound all that much, to me.
 
 
 
Before I buy another pair of headphones I will want to hear them first. I went to a store that had a wall of headphones and tried a bunch of them, including the V-Moda and a number of others, but they really didn't impress me. Just goes to show that headphones everyone loves in reviews may not really live up to the hype. The AiAiAi TMA-1, however, was pretty kickass, just as I remember my friend's AiAiAi Capital is. I would have gotten a Capital if it were more comfortable to wear, it's $80 from some vendors and sounds quite spectacular.
 
I wonder if there's some place where I could actually try the Creative Aurvana Live.

 

[ebrian]

For what it's worth, you could try burning in longer.. how many hours do you have?  I'd recommend at least 200 hours with BenF's wav file.